28 of the
343 complaints filed about the BMW X3 SAV
are about the electrical system —
8% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2007.
ON MAY 31 2018 I TOOK MY X3 IN TO ROSEVILLE BMW FOR AIR BAG RECALL #B651617 PASSENGER SIDE SEAT MAT THEY TOLD MW PART ON ORDER AND DO NOT HAVE ANY PERSON SEATING IN THAT SEAT UBTILL RECALL IS COMPLEITED. IT IS NOW OCT 4 2018 AND NO REPAIR HAS BEEN MADE. I JUST GOT 2 MORE RECALL NOTICES FROM ROSEVILLE BMW STATING TO CALL THEM ABOUT RECALL #B651617 PAAS SEAT MAT. SO I CALLED SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME NO PARTS HAVE COME IN AND DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE PART WILL BE SHIPPED!!!!!, ALSO ON ANOTHER NOTE ON THIS X3 I HAVE ALSO REPLACED WINDOW REGULATORS ALL 4 AND NOW BOTH REAR REGULATORS BROKE AGAIN #5 AND #6 THAT IS NOT CHEAP WHY??????
NHTSA complaint #11133391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ONLY HAVE MY CAR FOR ONLY A YEAR. TAILLIGHT FROM PASSENGER SIDE: THE RUNNING LIGHT DEFECTS WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON. I WAS TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY LIGHT AND THIS IS WELL KNOWN FOR THIS CAR. YESTERDAY, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. MY DRIVER RESTRAINT LIGHT CAME ON AND MY A/C OR TEMPERATURE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, AND CONTROL DISPLAY STOPPED WORKING. I AM NOT ABLE TO MOVE THE DRIVER SEAT. JUST BROUGHT IN TO THE DEALER FOR THE PCV VALVE HEATER RECALL SERVICE. WAS TOLD THIS MAY SOLVE THE ISSUES AND MAY NOT. IF NOT, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE TAILLIGHT, AIRBAG AND THE CONTROL DISPLAY ISSUES.
NHTSA complaint #11097235 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SINCE PURCHASE IN 2013 FROM A DEALER, WITH ONLY 43000 MILE CHANGED BATTERY TWICE AT BMW PETER PAN, REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP, WINDOW REGULATOR, REPLACED STARTER , PLUS OTHER SERVICES AND WINDOW WIPERS ARE FAULTY, T-CASE ACTUATOR REPLACED, SWAY BAR REPLACED, TOTALING $9531.38. I TRIED TO COMPLAIN TO BMW CORPORATION FOR SELLING A LEMON CAR . PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHO I CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS CAR. RIGHT NOW IT ONLY HAS 57K MILES ON IT AND I AM BEING TOLD IT NEEDS MORE WORK.
NHTSA complaint #10993087 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW X3. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS WARMING UP, THE CONTACT STEPPED AWAY FOR A FEW MINUTES. UPON RETURNING, THE INTERIOR WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT WAS BURNING. THE CONTACT TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND WAITED FOR THE SEAT TO COOL DOWN. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC WIRING FOR THE SEAT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
NHTSA complaint #10984819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW X3 SAV. AFTER A SEAT WARMER WAS ACTIVATED, THE HEAT GENERATED BECAME SO INTENSE THAT IT BURNED A HOLE IN THE SEAT, AS WELL AS THE CONTACT'S JACKET AND JEANS. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT WAS ALTERED TO THE FAILURE DUE TO A BURNING ODOR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY HEATING ELEMENT AND THE SEAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 111,000.
NHTSA complaint #10948899 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NHTSA INVESTIGATIONS PE07045 AND EA08001 DETERMINED MICRO-CRACKS COULD DEVELOP IN THE SIDE FLANKS OF THE FRONT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT CAUSING A BROKEN CIRCUIT AND DEACTIVATION OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND THE ILLUMINATION OF BOTH THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT. WHEN BOTH OF THE LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED, THE PASSENGER FRONTAL AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL CRASH. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 08V384000 WAS ISSUED HOWEVER ONLY COVERS MODEL YEARS 2004-2006 OF THE BMW X3 SAV. REQUEST NHTSA CONDUCT FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS TO EXPAND THE EXISTING RECALL TO COVER ALL 2004-2009 MODEL YEARS OF THE FIRST GENERATION BMW X3 SAV WHICH MANY OWNERS ONLINE CAN CONCUR EXHIBIT THE SAME SYMPTOMS OF THIS SERIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT POSES A SEVERE SAFETY RISK.
NHTSA complaint #10927446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IN COOL CLIMATE ON NOVEMBER 1, 2016. TURN ON MY HEAT SEAT, THEN I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNED, THEN I FELT SHARP BURN ON LEFT BUTT CHEEK. THEN I KNEW SOMETHING WRONG WITH HEAT I TURNED OFF, , ON NOVEMBER 7, 2016, I TRIED AGAIN,,, BURNING SMELL IS SO BAD, THE HEAT STILL BURNED ALMOST THROUGH OUT SIDE LAYER OF SEAT
NHTSA complaint #10926115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNMOVED IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR SEVERAL DAYS. IT SUDDENLY BROKE OUT IN FLAMES (ORIGINATING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT). THE FIRE GREW QUITE LARGE AND THE CAR EXPLODED (THE POLICE OFFICER'S WORD). SECURITY CAMERAS ON THE PROPERTY SHOW NO ONE IN THE AREA TO TAMPER WITH THE CAR. THIS WAS SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION. A GOOGLE SEARCH OF "2009 BMW X3 FIRE" SHOWS MANY OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS.
NHTSA complaint #10865284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BMW X3 HEATED SEAT BURNED HOLE THROUGH SEAT. IF HEATED SEAT IS TURNED ON, VISIBLE SPARKS OR FIRE WILL COME THROUGH HOLE. HOLE IS DIRECTLY BELOW DRIVER'S LEFT THIGH. BMW HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR OTHER MODELS, BUT NOT THE X3. THE X3 IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE SAME ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10852535 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 2007 BMW X3'S DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER OVERHEATED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND BURNT MY THIGH. I REACTED TO THE BURN AND ALMOST RAN OFF THE ROAD. WHEN I STOPPED I FOUND A BLACK BURNED SPOT ON MY SEAT. FROM MY RESEARCH IT SEEMS THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. I THINK THE COMPANY SHOULD HAVE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT BADLY.
NHTSA complaint #10826090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DUE TO COLD WEATHER, ENGAGED THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER. NOTICED A SHARP PAIN IN MY LEG AND THEN BEGAN TO SMELL AND SEE SMOKE. FORTUNEATLY, I WAS QUICKLY ABLE TO REALIZE THE SEAT HEATER APPEARED TO HAVE A SHORT IN IT, AND TURNED OFF BEFORE BURNING THROUGH THE LEATHER AND SETTING MY CLOTHS ON FIRE. I WILL BE CONTACTING MY LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT, IF ANYTHING THEY ARE WILL TO DO. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIUOSLY HURT OR KILLED. THE ENGINE WAS IDLING WHEN SEAT HEATER WAS ON. I WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND DRIVING DOWN STREET WHEN I NOTICED. IF I WOULD HAVE HAD SEAT HEATER ON AND THEN STEPPED AWAY FROM VEHICLE AS IT WAS WARMIMG UP, I AM CONFIDENT THE DRIVER SEAT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE OR AT LEAST SEVERLY DAMAGED IT.
NHTSA complaint #10821939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING THIS MORNING THE DRIVERS SIDE HEATED SEAT WAS IN USE SINCE IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE. I BEGAN TO SMELL THE ODER OF SOMETHING BURNING AND MY LEFT LEG FELT EXTREMELY WARM. NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS BURNING I TURNED OFF MY HEATED SEAT AND MY PASSENGERS SEAT WHICH WAS OCCUPIED. I ALSO TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE HEATER AND DEFROSTERS. UPON ARRIVAL AT MY DESTINATION I FOUND THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT HAD TWO BURN MARKS JUST ABOVE THE ELECTRIC SEAT CONTROLS WHERE MY LEG WAS AS I WAS POSITIONED WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10821338 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH SEAT HEATERS. ONE OF THE HEATING ELEMENTS FAILED, OVERHEATED AND BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT SURFACE. IN DOING RESEARCH, THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLES. BMW DID DO A RECALL ON THE X5, BUT DOES NOT SHOW A RECALL ON THE X3. ON VARIOUS SITES, THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES WITH OWNERS, SOME WITH THE VEHICLE CATCHING ON FIRE. I FOUND COMPLAINTS ON THE FOLLOWING SITES; CARCOMPLAINTS.COM, BIMMERFEST.COM AND ARFC.ORG. JUST ON CARCOMPLAINTS, THIS COMPLAINT IS SHOWN 23 TIMES; MADBURY, NH, PORTLAND, OR, WESTFIELD, IN, DERWOOD, MD, TAMPA, FL, ANNAPOLIS, MD, LOUISVILLE, KY, BERGENFIELD, NJ, HOLDERNESS, NH, LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OH, LAUREL, MD, NOVI, MI, CROMWELL, CT, PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS, HILLSBOROUGH, NC, DALY CITY, CA, ALEXANDRIA, VA, SAGINAW, TX, BETHESDA. MD, PITTSBURG, PA, SELAH, WA. SAME ISSUE WITH EACH. BMW OF NORTH AMERICA WAS CONTACTED AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS "IT'S A PART OF WEAR AND TEAR....NO OFFER TO ASSIST" FROM BMW NA. YET, THE ISSUE HAS CONTINUED TO ARISE AND BMW NA DID REPLACE THE HEATER ELEMENT AND SEAT SURFACE IN SOME INSTANCES, MAKING THE REPLACEMENT A MATTER OF PREFERENCE OR DISCRIMINATION, OR DEALER'S OPINION OF THE CAR OWNER VERSUS CORRECTING THE MANUFACTURING/DESIGN DEFECT PROBLEM. I WOULD REQUEST THE ASSISTANCE OF NHTSA TO REVIEW THIS MATTER AND PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM HAZARDOUS OVER-HEATING/ FIRE THREATS. I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN JUST GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE AND SMELL THE BURNING LEATHER AND TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATING SYSTEM BEFORE A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
NHTSA complaint #10810681 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MANY DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING. TOOK TO BMW OF ROCKVILLE MD. THEY DIAGNOSED FAILURE OF "FAULTY STEERING ANGLE SENSOR AND COIL SPRING." THEY CONFIRMED THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND THAT IT WAS NOTHING WE DID THAT CAUSED IT-- IT WAS A FAULTY PART. AFTER ONLY 33,000 MILES, TO HAVE A CRITICAL PART FAIL, SEEMS SERIOUS TO ME. THEY CHARGED US $2080.76 TO FIX, BECAUSE IT WAS OUTSIDE WARRANTY DUE TO AGE OF CAR. TO MY MIND IF A PART FAULT OR FAILURE OCCURS, THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, A RECALL ISSUE, NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE AND THE CARMAKER SHOULD FIX AND REPORT IT.
NHTSA complaint #10763124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND ALSO REALIZED MY UPPER LEG WAS IN PAIN. TURNED OFF THE SEAT WARMER AND INVESTIGATED AFTER REACHING MY DESTINATION. THERE WAS A SCORCH MARK IN THE SEAT NEAR THE BOTTOM LEFT BOLSTER. LUCKY THIS DIDN'T CAUSE A FIRE OR BODILY INJURY.
NHTSA complaint #10676948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXPERIENCING RECURRENT ELECTRICAL ISSUES INCLUDING MULTIPLE EPISODES OF COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, POWER STEERING, AND POWER BRAKING WHILE DRIVING AT 15-25 MPH. THIS INCLUDES AN EPISODE OF THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE CUTTING OFF WITHOUT WARNING DURING A TURN ON A BUSY STREET RESULTING IN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES, NEARLY RESULTING IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION. VEHICLE WILL RESTART IMMEDIATELY AND WITHOUT DIFFICULTY AFTER INCIDENT OCCURS. VEHICLE HAS ALSO EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE EPISODES OF A BATTERY DRAWING DOWN VOLTAGE AND NON-START IN THE MORNING DESPITE A NEW AND FULLY CHARGED BATTERY. BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED AND PROBLEM PERSISTED. SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED YET PROBLEM CONTINUES TO PERSIST. NO ISSUES FOUND BY MECHANIC.
NHTSA complaint #10633069 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON FEBRUARY 07, 2014 AND WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK MY VEHICLE STARTED JERKING. IT WOULD JERK REALLY HARD AND WHEN YOU WOULD TRY TO STOP BY PRESSING ON THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK HARDER AS IF IT IS ABOUT TO BREAK DOWN. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN APRIL, I BELIEVE THE 5TH I WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEN SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN. AS SOON AS THE SERVICE ADVISOR CHECKED ON THE VEHICLE SHE SAID THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AND HOW IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THERE WAS ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN MAY FOR AN OIL CHANGE BUT WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE TOWARDS THE END OF JUNE IT SAID I WAS REALLY LOW ON OIL. I WENT TO TURN THE VEHICLE IN AND IT WOULD NOT START.
NHTSA complaint #10611325 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
23 MONTH OLD TODDLER GAINED ACCESS TO VEHICLE KEYS AND LOCKED HIMSELF IN WITH THE REMOTE KEY. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS OF HIM TRYING TO OPEN THE DOORS WITH THE DOOR LEVERS, THEY WOULD NOT OPEN. WE HAD A LOCK SMITH ATTEMPT TO UNLOCK THE DOORS BY PUSHING THE DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON LOCATED ON THE UPPER CENTER CONSOLE, BUT THIS ALSO DIDN'T UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR FINALLY OPENED AFTER PUSHING THE CENTER LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON AND THEN PULLING ON THE DOOR LEVER TWO TIMES TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO UNLOCK AND OPEN THE DRIVER DOOR. THIS ENTRY SYSTEM REQUIRES THE USE OF ELECTRICS PRIOR TO THE MECHANICAL SYSTEM BECOMING ACTIVE. THIS SITUATION COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS DURING HIGH TEMPERATURE DAYS IF A PERSON IS LOCKED INSIDE AND DANGEROUS IN THE EVENT OF AN ESCAPE IF THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM FAILS WITH THE DOORS IN THE LOCKED POSITION.
NHTSA complaint #10550286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING WITH THE HEATED SEAT WARMER ACTIVATED, THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. THE HEATED SEAT WARMER HAD BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND THE CONTACT'S PANT LEG, BURNING THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
NHTSA complaint #10549539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY AND BATTERY CABLES FAILED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE BATTERY CABLE CONNECTERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #10512977 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.